Is Online Betting Legal In Georgia

The state of gambling in Georgia is a sad, sad thing. At present, there is exactly one avenue for residents to take – the Emerald Princess Casino, a cruise out of Brunswick with 220 slot machines.

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Until 2015, there was also the Tradewinds casino cruise out of Savannah, but after the state revoked the boat’s inspection certificates, the operation disappeared for good. Even its website is for sale.

The simple truth is that Georgia has some of the strictest and most absolute laws against gambling in the United States. Obviously, these laws extend to casinos, poker, and sports betting in Georgia. There’s even a prohibition on horse racing and dog racing – which is something of a rarity, even in prohibitive states. Of course, like most states with strict anti-gambling laws, Georgia offers its residents a state lottery option. This just never makes any sense because gambling is gambling.

However, hope remains in the Peach State. The 2017 state legislative session saw the introduction of a bill to bring two casinos to Georgia – one in Atlanta and one in Savannah, Columbus, or Augusta. The bill went nowhere and died in February.

The bill, proposed by Sen. Brandon Beach and Rep. Ron Stephens, is such a delicate issue that the word “casino” isn’t even in the bill. Instead, the proposal calls for the establishment of two “destination resorts.” One resort (the Atlanta location) would require a $2 billion investment. The other resort would only cost a mere $450 million.

So, it’s possible Georgians will have some gambling options within their state in the near future. For right now, Georgians are also aided by the state’s proximity to Florida and Mississippi, which can offer casinos in decent driving distance. Below is the information for Emerald Princess and the four closest casinos to Georgia’s state lines.

Latest Updates

Last updated: June 23, 2020

The Senate Special Judiciary Committee recently added sports betting language onto a traffic ticketing bill (HB 903) that passed the House in March. Lawmakers are hopefully sports betting can bring back revenue lost during the coronavirus pandemic. The measure now moves to the Senate floor for further discussion.

Sweepstakes casinos in Georgia

Social casino site options

Social casino sites are likely the best option for Georgians to pursue their desire to gamble in peace. At present, the big apps – Zynga, Slotomania, Big Fish, and Double Down Casino – are all available via Facebook and the various app stores.

According to the most recent available data, Double Down Casino is the most-used site that featured slot machine play to its patrons. A whopping 6.1 million users a month visited Double Down two years ago, and those numbers have likely gone up since. Double Down offers over 60 different games to site visitors, all for free. For fans of table games, Double Down also has video poker, blackjack, roulette, bingo, and poker available.

Georgians can also make use of MyVegas, MGM’s free comps site. Though they will have to travel to redeem any of their loyalty points, it is still an attractive option. Ultimately, Georgians maintain the same options as everyone else. The shame of it is that these options are, as of right now, the best it gets in Georgia for gambling. (At least until the legislature makes a move.)

Land-based slots options

Online gambling options

As can be expected in a state with stringent land-based gambling laws, Georgia does not have legal online gambling.

However, due to the relative recency of online gambling’s arrival on the scene, there is no specific law banning it either. So, Georgia residents can find options in out-of-state (and probably out-of-country) sites. However, they shouldn’t expect open arms and welcome within the power structure of the state.

Operator profile

Emerald Princess Casino

Emerald Princess Casino is a five-night-per-week casino cruise that docks at Brunswick, Georgia.

It is the only option for gambling within state lines in Georgia. The boat itself is a 200-foot vessel with four decks. There are two for gaming, one for dining, and an observation deck. Each night, the boat sails into international waters to allow patrons to gamble beyond the reach of Georgia state law.

Within the two gambling decks, the cruise offers 200 slot machines, 12 blackjack tables, eight poker tables, two roulette wheels, and a craps table. Players pay a $10 entry fee, and cruises last for five-hour segments. The minimum age for entry is 18, and patrons must show a photo ID to enter. The cruise is operated by Golden Isles Cruise Lines, whose sole holding is this cruise. Reviews for the cruise are fair to good.

And that’s it, really. The truly best options for gamblers in Georgia are either the two Harrah’s Cherokee casinos in North Carolina (for northern Georgia) or Florida’s casinos in the Panhandle or Jacksonville (for southern Georgia).

Georgians in the western part of the state can also drive to tribal casinos in Alabama. The best bet for Georgia gamblers right now is to lobby their state representatives and senators to pass the bill before the legislature.The bill would put a casino in Atlanta (likely near Hartsfield International Airport) and another one in one of the other cities.

State legal environment

Although Georgia is home to a number of top professional and college-level sports teams, there is currently no legal Georgia sports betting. However, there have recently been some parliamentary moves that signal that lawmakers are looking to introduce legal sports betting sometime in the future.

As we only recommend licensed online bookmakers and there are no legal online sports betting Georgia websites, we’ve used this guide to discuss the current gambling laws in the state. We’ve also discussed the future of the sports betting market in Georgia, as well as some other gambling options you can enjoy in the meantime.

What Betting Options are Legal for Georgia Residents

Contents

• What Betting Options are Legal for Georgia Residents
• Frequently Asked Questions

Georgia currently ranks as one of the least gambling-friendly states in the country, so it’s no wonder why there is no Georgia legal online sportsbook. However, for those wanting some legal betting option, visitors and residents can legally bet on bingo and the lottery, as well as daily fantasy sports sites.

Is Daily Fantasy Legal in Georgia?

As pari-mutuel wagering on horse and dog racing is illegal, there really are no kinds of Georgia sports betting options. Perhaps the closest thing available is daily fantasy sports (DFS) betting, which although isn’t technically illegal, is tolerated by the states. FanDuel and DraftKings operate in Georgia, both of which double as reputable sports betting sites. Players can access these daily fantasy sites via mobile devices as well as from their computers.

DFS sees contestants compete for cash prizes based on the real-life performances of their drafted fantasy team lineups of players from a sports league. Until there are legal online sports betting in Georgia, DFS games are a great way to get into the habit of researching sports games to make the best bets.

Are there Legal Offshore Sites for Georgia Players

In some states that don’t offer sports betting, players can still access offshore bookmakers through a legal loophole that ensures players won’t be punished for doing so. As Georgia specifically outlaws placing bets of any kind, there is no legal Georgia online gambling of any kind permitted outside of DFS.

For this reason, we highly recommend you avoid offshore betting sites such as Bovada and BetOnline or risk being punished. These websites also can’t be trusted as they are unlicensed, so can not offer any guarantees that they are safe and fair. It’s also not advised to trust websites that target customers in illegal jurisdictions.

GA Casinos

Not only are there no Georgia legal online sportsbooks available for Georgians, but residents are barred from casino gambling. For those in Georgia wanting to gamble at casinos, there are a number of casino cruise ships that sail from Georgia to international waters so players can gamble on slots and table games.

If players want to try some of these table games and slots without placing any cash wagers, online social casinos are available. These legal websites can be accessed on desktop browsers and apps and are free to play. Sometimes these social casinos offer real money jackpots through sweepstakes despite players wagering no cash. The odds of casino gabmling being legalized in the state are slim to none for the coming future.

Nearby States with Legal Sports Betting

As both local Georgia sports betting and international offshore bookmakers aren’t legal, we recommend that locals wanting to wager on sports travel to another state to make a sports bet. Luckily, Georgia is bordered by Tennessee, which was among the first states to offer legal sports betting.

We suggest you check these following state guides to discover the best sportsbooks available near Georgia:

• Tennessee
• North Carolina
• Mississippi

What would Legal Sports Betting in Georgia Look Like?

While it seemed as though legal online sports betting in Georgia would be a near impossibility a year ago, a new piece of legislation is currently seeking to make this a reality. The newly introduced bill seeks to legalize online sports betting and have it be run by the Georgia Lottery.

The bill is similar to one introduced by neighbor state Tennessee that would place a 10% tax on sports betting revenues. Operators would also need to pay a $900,000 annual license fee on top of this too. The current bill limits collegiate prop betting, including individual actions, events, and statistics of these games.

Outside of college games, players will be able to bet on all major sports league games such as the NFL, NBA, MLS, and NHL. These bets will likely have fewer restrictions than those placed on collegiate division sports. This is no doubt great news for fans of the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta Hawks.

It’s still uncertain whether or not lawmakers will approve of the bill, but in the case they do, a special government body will be created to regulate the states sportsbook locations. These regulatory bodies are important as they set laws that ensure player protection measures are maintained by the safest betting sites and guarantee a certain degree of fairness.

What are the Georgia Gambling Laws

Is Online Sports Betting Legal In Georgia

When it comes to gambling, Georgia has always had little tolerance for the activities. Georgia first sought to make gambling illegal in 1878, when it passed a law that banned lottery tickets. It would take more than 100 years for the lottery to be legalized, with the Georgia Lottery established in 1993.

On top of this, pari-mutuel betting on horse racing and greyhound racing is also outlawed and remains illegal to this day. In 1976, lawmakers carved out a law that allowed for the sale of tickets for a charitable raffle or bingo games, though even these are highly regulated.

Georgia’s explicit ban on gambling of all kinds has meant that those seeking to make bets with offshore bookmakers or unlicensed online casinos are breaking the law. This is despite there being no explicit law against online casinos. DFS betting is one of few exceptions, which is tolerated as it is not considered technically a game of chance.

Georgia gambling laws permit the minimum gambling age is 18. This goes for playing the lottery, bingo, and to sign up for a DFS account. All other forms of gambling in the state are illegal, although it is not illegal for residents of Georgia to travel out of state to gamble.

What is the Future of Sports Betting in Georgia?

We are hopeful that soon enough, Georgia will become a legal sport betting state. The current bill has the backing of the state’s professional sports teams, which has historically been one of the largest hurdles to overcome when trying to expand sports betting laws. We’ll keep an eye on the news for any updates.

The bill also has bipartisan support from five senators, proving that both Republicans and Democrats can see that legal Georgia sports betting will be profitable. However, until this bill is passed, we remind residents and visitors of Georgia to avoid offshore sportsbooks to place bets and instead travel to a nearby legal state. We are fairly certain legal sportsbooks will be in Georgia this upcoming year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about Georgia sports betting and your legal online betting options in the state? In this section, we have answered a number of common questions that are frequently asked about Georgia’s gambling laws.

Is online gambling and sports betting legal in Georgia?

No, online gambling and sports betting are not legal in the state of Georgia. However, both could be changed in one swoop if the current law seeking to legalize mobile sports betting in the state is passed. We recommend trying some online social gambling games or DFS.

What is the Georgia legal gambling age?

The minimum gambling age in Georgia is 18 years old. This is the same age for the state lottery, to play bingo games and to sign up for a daily fantasy sports account. Georgia has strict rules regarding this, so we stress that underage players do not illegally gamble.

Are offshore bookmaker sites legal and safe?

No, offshore bookmakers are neither legal nor safe in the state of Georgia. The state has outlawed most forms of gambling and will punish those caught breaking the law. Until these websites are licensed and regulated in Georgia, we suggest you avoid these websites.

Can I use the FanDuel or DraftKings app in Georgia?

Both FanDuel and DraftKings are available in Georgia, though you can currently only use them to access their daily fantasy sports offerings. In the case that mobile sports betting is legalized with a new law, we believe either could make for the perfect legal Georgia sports betting app, with which to bet on the NFL and other major sports.

Is Online Gambling Legal In Ga